


i risk it all for this life we choose

by creamcheesebagels



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Clint Barton Is a Good Bro, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gentle Kissing, Non-Graphic Smut, Non-Linear Narrative, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Post-Canon Fix-It, Protective Natasha Romanov, Soft Girlfriends, Wanda Maximoff Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-01
Updated: 2020-04-05
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:26:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22964620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/creamcheesebagels/pseuds/creamcheesebagels
Summary: If Wanda closed her eyes and concentrated, she could feel the ghost of an arm around her waist, pulling her closer and a light kiss pressed to her temple.Wanda wanted to be angry at her. For bringing her so much hope just to drop her back on her ass, hard. For sacrificing herself. She wanted to scream her head off at the redhead for leaving her alone, once again in the cold and dark world. But, Wanda knew, that Natasha had selflessly exchanged her life for the lives of billions back.-A study of grief and giving these two the ending they deserve.
Relationships: Clint Barton & Natasha Romanov, Clint Barton & Wanda Maximoff, Pietro Maximoff & Wanda Maximoff, Wanda Maximoff & Steve Rogers, Wanda Maximoff/Natasha Romanov
Comments: 16
Kudos: 118





	1. we promised to never let go

**Author's Note:**

> Watching Endgame gave me a lot of feels about Natasha and Wanda and I'm sad about the untapped potential of the relationship between these two. This is something I've been working on and putting off for the last half year, and I unfortunately have little time to really work on it (because of life and all that), so it has been a long a sporadic work in progress (and will still be). 
> 
> A couple of things before we start:  
> 1\. The setting of story assumes that the either the final battle of Endgame did not occur at Avengers facility, or the snap reversed the damage caused to the facility (you decide)  
> 2\. The Avengers had no means to return the stones right after the battle, so it took them a while to figure out how they would do it before they could
> 
> I hope you all enjoy!:)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The decimated are brought back and families and friends are reunited, except for one lonely witch.

As soon as the danger disappeared with Tony’s snap, Wanda allowed herself to be aware of the bleeding gash on her shoulder and raised a hand to apply pressure on the wound. It stings a little and she lets out a tiny gasp.

Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Clint jogging towards her and before she knew it, she was pulled into a tight hug while the archer gently pets her hair. He lets go of her and held her by her elbows, taking note of her injured shoulder immediately. “I’m glad you’re back.” Ever since the passing of Pietro, Clint had basically taken Wanda under his care and acted like the father she lost at a young age. He was really glad that Wanda was able to walk away unscathed, except for her bleeding shoulder. 

Wanda managed a small smile. “Where’s Nat?”  
Clint’s heart dropped. 

He doesn’t know what to tell her - he was sure that Wanda didn’t want anything but the truth, but at the same time he didn’t have the heart to announce the devastating news to the young witch. 

“Clint. Where is Natasha?” Wanda tried again. Her voice wavered a little at the mention of a certain redhead. 

“Wanda, I… I’m sorry,” he replied, unable to look into her eyes. 

Wanda stumbles back, her free hand raising to cover her mouth. “No - no! Please tell me she’s okay, Clint. Tell me!” She begged of the archer, large pleading eyes staring at him, tears threatening to spill. 

Clint knew there was no way he could verbally tell her what had happened at Vormir. How they fought over being the offering. How he was unable to stop his best friend’s fingers from slipping out of his hand, the perspiration that was forming between their grasp making it impossible to for his fingers to get a purchase on hers. 

“Read me, Wanda,” he said, bringing her hand up to his forehead. He was fully aware of what Wanda was capable of doing, but he trusted that she would not intentionally hurt him or mess with his mind. Suddenly, there was a warm spot that was growing on his forehead as he felt Wanda inside his mind. 

Without hesitation, Clint leaped from the edge of the cliff. This one is for you, he thought, as he closed his eyes and felt gravity pull him towards the bottom. He was ready for this fall to redeem himself, as a punishment for what he had done. He was falling, falling - 

Almost immediately, he stopped falling. His eyes flew open to notice a grappling hook that was attached to him and Natasha dangling precariously underneath him. Clint immediately attempted to pull Natasha back up, but he found that she was not cooperating and he just did not have the strength to haul her up the cliff. 

It took him a moment to realize what Natasha had done. There was no way he was able to pull her back to safety - she was going to fall regardless. 

“Damn you, Natasha!” Clint yelled, tears clouding his vision. He was angry at her for doing this. Hadn’t they agreed that he would be the one? 

“Let me go,” came her small voice from below. Her eyes were also watery as she tried to give him a comforting smile. She glanced at the abyss that lied below her, taking a deep breath before lifting her head to meet Clint again. 

His fingers wrapped a little tighter around her forearm with a tiny shake of his head. There was no way he would let Natasha, the woman whom he had saved from death once, to fall to her death in front of him. Unfortunately for Clint, he was painfully aware that it was bound to happen without anyone else to help haul her up. “Why?”, he croaked, letting a lone tear roll down his cheek. 

Natasha just shakes her head, letting her fingertips lightly touch the inside of Clint’s arm. “It’s okay,” she whispered, “tell Wanda I’m sorry”. She gave him a last smile, one that doesn’t reach her eyes but effectively conveyed her love towards him and the young witch. Without warning, she kicked the face of the cliff, Clint’s fingers instantaneously losing their grip on her arm. 

“NO!”, he yelled, his fingers closing on air as he watched his best friend fall. He had to turn away when she hit the bottom, not strong enough to see her take her last breath. When he looked at her again, her hair was out of the meticulous braid she had made earlier, her limbs askew and her lifeless eyes staring back up. 

Wanda fell backwards, landing on unsteady feet, as if Clint’s mind had physically pushed her out. Red swirls from her fingertips dissipated into the air, and a hand quickly shot up to clutch at her chest. 

A gut-wrenching sob escapes her lips.

Wanda falls forward and Clint catches her, hugging her tightly to his chest and allowing her to pour out all emotions into him. He knew what Natasha meant to the young women and he lightly caresses the back of her head. Tears ran down Wanda’s face and landed onto his jacket, the moisture seeping through and dampening the skin on his shoulder. 

“She did it to save us all,” Clint affirmed, pressing a gentle kiss to her temple. He held the trembling woman tightly until her body stilled, signalling that she had passed out from exhaustion. He passed her off to Steve, who carried Wanda into the jet, leaving the ruins of their last battle without another glance. 

-

Back at the Avengers Facility, Steve laid Wanda on her bed. Wanda was awake when they arrived, but she had stared blankly into space while others shuffled off the jet. Steve had tried talking to her, but realized shortly after that he wouldn’t be getting a response from her. He scooped her up and carried her into the room she used to live in five years ago. 

Wanda’s room looked exactly like what she remembered five years ago, before she left for Edinburgh. She had left rather hastily, only bringing herself and a winter jacket. 

She was still rather unresponsive, but silently taking in the view of her room. Her closet was to her right, two nightstands that sandwiched her bed and an ensuite washroom to her left. 

There was a single photo frame on the nightstand. It was red with intricate gold swirls bordering the frame, and in the middle sat possibly the only picture left of the Maximoffs. A young Wanda grasped her mother’s hand. Pietro, despite being only twelve minutes older than Wanda, was much taller than her since they were young children. He was tucked into the side of his father, and his father’s arm was wrapped around his wife’s waist. A tourist in Sokovia carrying a polaroid camera had spotted the family and offered to take a photo for them, and for the longest time Pietro had the photo safely tucked away in his pocket. Clint had procured the picture from the boy’s dead body and handed it to Wanda, who held onto it like a lifeline. 

It was still her lifeline. 

Everything seemed in place, except for one. Her favourite earrings were missing from the trinket dish. Wanda’s eyebrows furrowed - she was positive that they have been sitting there since Edinburgh.

_Ever since Wanda disappeared, Natasha had the habit of wandering into the younger woman’s room. Sometimes, she stands at the doorway and closes her eyes, trying to feel Wanda’s aura around her. Other times she would go through the girl’s belongings, trying to hold onto the last pieces of her._

_She would always go through the first drawer of the nightstand to the right of the bed. That was where Wanda kept her polaroid camera. It was a birthday gift from the team, the first one that Wanda celebrated without her twin. Clint had suggested it as a gift idea, wanting Wanda to be able to have a somewhat normal life and be able to record it in the form of photographs, seeing that the girl had barely any. The team agreed that it was a good idea and pitched in to buy Wanda the cream-coloured camera._

_Next to the camera was a small stack of film. Wanda usually took photographs of other people - a picture of Steve proudly holding his shield, one of Sam and Rhodey holding their thumbs up for the camera, one of the Vision curiously peering at her. There were also pictures of Clint and Laura hugging in the sunset, Cooper and Lila chasing each other in the field and baby Nathaniel playing in the snow. Then there were a couple of pictures of Wanda herself, some that Natasha remembered taking them for her. Her favourite one was Wanda peeking from behind a steaming mug of hot chocolate, a small grin tugging at her lips._

_As Natasha flipped through the photographs, she realized that she also had many. She didn’t even remember most of them being taken - Wanda must have sneaked around her and stealthily taken them. There was one of her and a plate of waffles in front of her, another where she was sitting next to a water fountain and another one of her lazing at the poolside._

_Each photograph was dated by Wanda’s neat handwriting in black ink. Natasha was pretty impressed by how they were all documented. There was one more photograph. Natasha pulled it out to see a picture of herself and Wanda, sitting together on a park bench, each nursing a warm danish and completely oblivious to their surroundings and happy to be in the company of each other. In the white margin, Wanda had written “moya lyubov” and drawn two small hearts next to the words._

_Natasha quickly shoved the photographs back into the drawer and slammed it shut. She didn’t come here to break down, damn it! She just wanted to see Wanda again, yet the miserable feeling of being alone hit her like a truck. She missed the cuddles the younger woman gave and the softness of her lips._

_Natasha’s eyes trailed up to the nightstand to see the tube of lipstick sitting there. She knew without picking it up, that it was the scarlet red lipstick that Wanda may or may not have swiped from her collection. It was the only colour that Wanda would wear, and god, that colour suited her so well. Natasha knew she wasn’t supposed to be staring, but she just couldn’t help but be mesmerized by Wanda’s full, red lips. Especially when she talks - Natasha would get so lost in the red that she would completely zone out._

_Something shiny on the nightstand caught her eye. It was a pair of red heart earrings, a pair that Natasha always saw when Wanda pushed her long hair out of the way. It puzzled her why the younger woman hadn’t worn them when she left, but she picked them up anyway. The metal was cool on her palm, and without hesitation, she slid the earrings on._

_It’s not much, but it is something left of Wanda for Natasha to hold on while they figured out what they would do._

_“I will get you back, Wanda”, she whispered, lightly tugging on the earrings, “don’t worry, moya lyubov.”_


	2. how far we could fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanda finds something that sends her down a spiral of loneliness and sadness.

A week passed since the defeat of Thanos. The atmosphere in the compound was suffocating, the absence of two of the Avengers palpable in the air. Wanda had finally mustered up the courage to walk into Natasha’s room.

She sat on the the bed, slowly running her hand across the silky black sheets that lay atop of Natasha’s bed. They rarely slept in this bed, usually finding comfort within Wanda’s red sheets and a mountain of pillows. Natasha’s bed, however, was special. It was the first time they shared a bed, after Wanda meekly padded into the spy’s room following a nightmare. If Wanda closed her eyes and concentrated, she could feel the ghost of an arm around her waist, pulling her closer and a light kiss pressed to her temple. 

She missed being held by Natasha.

Wanda walked over to the desk, opening drawer after drawer to see stationery, files… and a large, bulky folder with her name written in cursive. Her curiosity got the better of her, and she found many, many envelopes, safely tucked into the folder. 

The first one she pulled out had “Wanda’s 21st birthday” written on it. The one after that was “Hanukkah 2018”. Most of the envelopes were dated with special occasions, like holidays and anniversaries, but others simply had a random date on them. There had to be at least twenty envelopes in the folder, and the last one was dated “5 years without Wanda”. 

Intrigued, she lifted the flap of the first envelope and carefully extracted its contents. 

_  
February 16, 2018  
Wanda,  
Happy birthday. Seeing that you’re now legal, I would have taken you out for dinner and ordered a bottle of wine for us to share. That will just have to wait until we reverse the snap and bring you back to me. I miss you a lot, and I hope wherever you, you’re doing okay. I love you, malyshka.  
Tasha_

_December 2, 2018  
Wanda,  
Today is the first day of Hanukkah, and I know it is an important holiday for you. I found the menorah and will be lighting the candles for us. It will feel different, when we’re not huddled together and reciting the prayers, but I hope you can feel it too. This time of year is supposed to be about celebration, but now the only thing that can get me to celebrate is you coming back unharmed. Stay safe, sweetheart.  
Tasha_

_April 24, 2023  
My dear Wanda,  
After five years of not being able to do anything, I think we finally have a plan. Scott just showed up at the front door and won’t shut up about quantum time, but I’m sure he knows what he’s talking about. I’ve never felt so much hope in the last five years. I really, really miss you. I want to be able to cuddle with you again, drink hot chocolate at the park, braid you hair.. I just want to be able to do everything with you again. I promise, that we’ll do whatever it takes to bring you back. Hang in there, baby, we’re coming.  
Love, Tasha  
(In case anything goes wrong in this mission, know that I was very lucky to be called your girlfriend and that I love you unconditionally.)_

Trembling hands struggled to fold the letters up and insert them into their respective envelopes. A growing abyss threatened to tear through Wanda’s heart and the raw emotion poured into the letters almost pushed her over the edge, drowning her in eternal darkness. She sank to the ground, leaning against the desk, chest heaving and her breathing erratic.

Natasha was one of the first people to really welcome her into the team. 

_  
Natasha stood outside Wanda’s door, her hand hovering in front of the closed door. If she was being completely honest, she had no clue why she was doing this - actively inviting the girl who had messed with her head to train with her._

_Well, she actually did. Wanda was almost like a reflection of Natasha’s younger self. Wanda had already apologized profusely in the last month, desperate like Natasha had been to clear the red off of her ledger. She kept her head low to draw as little attention to herself as possible and only appeared at team meetings and training when she had to. That was no way of living - it was merely existing, and Natasha knew that was unhealthy for anyone, especially for a young girl like Wanda._

_If there was anything Natasha hoped she could do, it would be to prevent other people from taking the same path as she had._

_Natasha sighed. She had spent most of her life building up a wall between herself and others to avoid any emotion attachment, as per the teachings of the Red Room. Her time spent with the Avengers had already weakened her wall substantially, but here was a young girl she barely knew, her presence almost making the wall crumble and come undone._

_She just couldn’t bring herself to ignore the girl any more than the world already had._

_She rapped on the door lightly, not really wanting for a response before she pushed the door open. Wanda was on her bed, a book in her hand and she looked up at the redhead curiously._

_“Hey, Wanda, do you want to train with me?”_

_Wanda hesitated, wringing her hands nervously as her eyes darted between Natasha and the floor. “I.. I don’t know, I um.. don’t want to hurt you.”_

_She sighed. “Hey, we’ve talked about this before. You thought you were fighting for the right side then. You will be okay.”_

_The younger girl shook her head, almost curling in on herself. “I’ll still hurt you. There is no way to justify invading your privacy.” She whispered, twisting at a silver band on her finger. Natasha sat on the bed next to her, a hand coming to cover hers comfortingly. “Wanda, it’s okay, I have forgiven you. Besides, training could help with controlling your powers and using them at the right time for the right things.”_

_Wanda looked up to her with glassy eyes. She bit her lip, then nodded and pushed herself off of the bed. Natasha smiled and led her to the gym._

_“We can bake something after we’re done. I’ve been wanting to try out this recipe Laura sent me last week.”  
_

Wanda hugged the thick envelope closer to her chest. Natasha’s death has left a big gaping hole in her chest that she hadn’t the faintest idea of how she could ever close it up. Wanda had never loved someone like she loves Natasha, but fate was cruel enough to separate them once again. 

A part of Wanda felt bad for reading the letters. Natasha had never been overly open with her emotions, and this felt like an invasion of her privacy. 

(Yes, the letters were addressed to her, but she didn’t think that they were meant for her to read.)

She slid the envelope back into the drawer and nudged it close with her foot. There was a reason for it to be hidden in the deepest corner of the room, and Wanda was definitely not going to dishonour any wishes Natasha had. 

There didn’t seem to be anything she could think of without feeling lost and alone. After all, her memories all involve dead people to some extent. It wasn’t something Wanda thought of a lot, but with families and friends reunited after the reverse and none for her to go back to, it was almost the only thing she could think about. 

The other Avengers were also busy trying to reconstruct quantum tunnel. Wanda, being the soft spoken young woman she was, took the opportunity to retreat into her own space and properly mourn for those she had lost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was more of a filler chapter to build up what is about to come. Don't worry, I won't keep this poor baby sad for too long.
> 
> Also, Happy International Women's Day to all of you! Keep being awesome!


	3. safer on land

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanda is beginning to accept the fact that Natasha was gone, and she reconnects with the people she calls family.

Wanda’s room was very quiet and little too big for her liking. A good half of the bed was always cold and unused because there wasn’t another warm body to occupy it. She sighed. It had been a month, yet waking up alone is still enough to send her spiralling into a vortex of despair. 

Natasha’s last words go through her head in a loop like a mantra. Tell Wanda I’m sorry. Tell her I’m sorry. I’m sorry. 

Wanda wanted to be angry at her. For bringing her so much hope just to drop her back on her ass, hard. For sacrificing herself. She wanted to scream her head off at the redhead for leaving her alone, once again in the cold and dark world. But, Wanda knew, that Natasha had selflessly exchanged her life for the lives of billions back. She was the reason many families, Clint’s included, could reunite. 

But it was just so unfair. 

On the days where Wanda’s grief was too heavy for her to handle, the girl would silently sit on her bed, staring into nothingness. She was quiet, unresponsive and definitely not making an effort to take care of herself. Steve and Clint had knocked on her door multiples times, to remind her to eat or to bring her some food. They tried to keep the girl company so she wouldn’t be stuck in her head all the time. 

Most of all, they doted over her like concerned fathers. 

It was heartbreaking to see how much Wanda had gone through, growing stronger with each obstacle but having to start from square one every time. The last times they had seen her in this state was when Pietro had been killed and when they rescued her from the Raft, but both times Natasha had been there, patiently easing the girl out of her bubble and to connect her with the outside world again. They had taken baby steps, but hey, they were working and Wanda soon felt comfortable enough to be around other team members, for them to put a hand on her shoulder without flinching. 

_When Steve broke into the Raft to set his teammates free, he immediately realized that Wanda was not with the others. He pushed that thought aside and quickly worked on unlocking cell doors. Scott and Sam were very excited to see him, almost pouncing on onto him to give their captain a bear hug. Clint was barely out of his cell when Steve shoved a baton into his hands and basically dragged him out of his cell, both men tripping over their feet to get to the young witch as quickly as possible._

_The two of them tore through the Raft, desperate to find the young witch and to bring her to safety. She had already been through enough, and being in a shock collar was frankly the last thing she needed._

_They finally found Wanda, shoulders slumped against the corner of her cell. Her eyes were blank, staring at the wall opposite of her. Her arms were bound tightly to her chest and a thick collar was around her neck, an ominous red light blinking periodically._

_She didn’t look up or move when Steve broke into her cell, but pushed herself into the wall, quietly whining when Clint and Steve tried to approach her. Her head was bowed, effectively blocking their access to the collar around her neck._

_“Wanda, it’s just us. We’re not going to hurt you,” Steve tried, holding his hands up to show that he had no ill intention. Wanda raised her head slowly, empty eyes searching the room for the source of the sound, her mind sluggishly trying to comprehend the situation and recognizing the voice._

_Steve. Steve was speaking. Steve came back to get her. Steve would not hurt her._

_She flinched when a hand touched her shoulder, but there was only one person who would lightly rub their fingers against her shoulder blade, the motion soothing and immediately recognizable to the drugged girl. “It’s okay, Wanda, we’re getting you out.” Clint spoke softly, while undoing the straps of the straitjacket and helping the girl to her feet._

_If it weren’t for Clint’s lightning reflexes, Wanda would have face planted on the ground._

_He lifted the girl into his arms and whispered into her ear how proud he was of her for holding up so long. She hadn’t made a peep since they broke her out, but just seeing her alive was enough to send relief coursing through Clint’s veins. He pressed a soft kiss to her hairline as they boarded the jet._

_They headed for Wakanda, much to the surprise of many of their team, but they were all silently thankful that they would have the resources in Wakanda to help Wanda recover. Steve was the one who carried her off the jet, and was also the first one to be greeted by none other than the Black Widow herself at the landing pad. She was jittery, gnawing on her fingernails and immediately ran up to Cap when she saw him. He gave a stiff nod of the head before walking off. Natasha sighed, before turning to Clint and waiting for him to fill her in on Wanda’s condition._

_“Are you okay?”_

_“Me? Yeah, I am. Go, go see Wanda”, he replied, giving her a slight push into Steve’s direction. She nodded and quickly walked to where the doctors were waiting._

_Natasha watched Wanda’s face intently for any signs of her waking up. The young witch looked incredibly small in the bed, or maybe that was because so many tubes and sheets covered her that Natasha could barely see her. She frowned when she saw the ghostly pallor of her face and how the usually flowing brown locks limp against the pillow._

_Wanda’s eyes popped open, gleaming red before returning to normal in a split second. Her eyes searched the unfamiliar surrounding as her mind started to wake up. She suddenly felt claustrophobic under the tautly tucked sheets and a frantic hand reached up to claw at the bandages around her neck, convinced that another shock collar had found its way to her neck. Warm hand grabbed her wrists gently and suddenly she was looking into Natasha’s lush green eyes._

_“Hey baby,” came a soft voice._

_Wanda knew that she wasn’t in her cell anymore, but she just had to be sure. “Tasha?”, she rasped out._

_Natasha’s heart broke a little at the desperation in Wanda’s voice. She brushed the hair away from Wanda’s forehead and replied, “yes sweetheart, I’m here.”_

_Wanda’s lower lip wobbled, finally letting the pain and humiliation of the Raft roll off her body. Tears started bubbling from her eyes and ran down her face, her entire body shaking slightly in the bed. Natasha sighed, lowering her lips to Wanda’s forehead. Wanda didn’t smell like her usual floral shampoo, she smelled more like pungent hospital antiseptic that was harsh on the girl’s skin._

_“Shh, it’s okay, I’ve got you”, Natasha murmured, carefully lifting the girl and resting her head on her chest - she knew that Wanda found her heartbeat soothing whenever she was scared. One arm was wrapped protectively around the little witch’s frail body, the other came to the side of her head and gently stroked her hair. “I won’t let them hurt you again,” she whispered into her hair and pressed another kiss to her temple._

_Wanda’s body shook jerkily, the softness of Natasha’s words and kisses enough to make more tears flow. She drove herself further into Natasha’s embrace, not wanting to ever leave the safe haven that was her girlfriend._

Clint had been leaning on the door, looking at the young witch for a while, before slowly walking over to the hunched form. Wanda looked up before he reached the bed, large blue eyes staring up at his concerned face. 

“Hey, kid, you okay?”, he asked, sliding next to her. He looked at her intently, watching her fiddle at the silver rings that adorn her slim fingers. Wanda doesn’t answer, she kept her head bowed. 

They sat in silence until Clint hears shifting next to him - Wanda had repositioned herself and drawn her knees close to her chest. 

“I miss her,” she said so quietly that Clint almost missed it. He turned around and was immediately confronted by the tears glistening in her eyes. He sighed, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her close. “I know you do.”

In her young life, Wanda has already lost too much - her parents, her twin, her country, her best friend and her one true love. She can’t lose him too.

“Wanda, would you like to come and stay with me?”

She looked up at him, wide eyes boring into his soul as she thought for a moment and a tiny smile tugged at her lips. 

“Yeah, I’d like that”.

-

Holding Nathaniel Pietro Barton while he sat in her lap, happily explaining the story of his stuffed animals, was an action Wanda never thought would bring tears to her eyes. He reminded her of the two people she loved the most, both of which were gruesomely ripped out of her life. She remembered holding him as a baby for the first time and was painfully reminded of the lost of her brother that she held the baby tight to her chest and weeped softly on the Barton’s couch. 

Here he was, an adorable four year old boy who was the physical embodiment of both Pietro and Natasha. Nate was like her brother, bursting with energy and never wanting to slow down, eager to explore anything and everything the world had to offer. On the rare occasion that he would slow down, he allowed cuddles from Wanda - he was a great cuddler, much like Natasha. And of course, like Natasha, he had a heart of gold, but was stubborn as a mule. 

Wanda was lost in thought when she heard Nate’s bright voice pulling her back to reality. “Auntie Wanda, will you make Bunny and Cat fly? It’s night time and they want to touch the stars!” He was bouncing on the balls of his feet and waving the aforementioned stuff animals in the air. 

Wanda smiled and lifted her fingers, a mist of scarlet encasing the two stuffed animals before she made them glide through the room carefully at a slow pace, before stopping them in front of Nate’s face, gently booping the boy’s nose. Peals of laughter erupted from the boy before he reached forward the grab the toys and hug them closely to his chest, Wanda letting her magic dissipate into the air. 

“Nate, bedtime”, Laura called out, watching her youngest son interact with the woman she and Clint saw as their daughter. Nate was about to argue with his mother when Wanda offered to tuck him in and read him a story. 

“Mmmm… okay!” He relented, picking up his stuffed animals with one hand and grabbing Wanda’s hand with the other, quickly dragging the woman to his room. Laura mouthed a “thank you” on their way out and Wanda just smiled in response, loving nothing more than spending time with Nate. 

-

“Auntie Wanda?” Nate murmured, his eyes fluttering close as she closed the bock she was reading and replaced it on the shelf. She hummed, signalling for him to continue while she retook her spot on his bed. “I miss Auntie Nat.” Wanda’s hand that had been lightly stroking Nate’s hair froze. She knew Clint and Laura had explained the situation to the Barton children, but she honestly did not expect to hear this as the youngest Barton was getting ready for bed. She took a deep breath and willed herself not to break down in front of Nate. 

“I know, buddy, I miss her too,” she replied and resumed stroking his hair. “But guess what? She’s in here,” she lightly tapped his chest, over his heart, “and she’s looking over you all the time.” Nate nodded and closed his eyes. Wanda kissed his forehead and left before her emotions bubbled over. 

She plopped onto the couch just as Clint sat next to her, two steaming cups in hand. One went into her hands and he sipped from the other. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the young woman crinkle her nose after taking a sip of her own. “Sorry, we only have the cheap, powdered stuff here.” Wanda set her cup down on the coffee table after another forced sip. 

“You know, Tasha always said the only proper way to make hot chocolate is on the stove.” She smiled wistfully at her hands, trying to feel the warmth in her heart she had always felt when Natasha would make her hot chocolate after a long day. She put on a brave smile for Clint but it came crashing down once she saw the concern on his face. Words became tangled in her throat when she tried to reassure him that she was okay. 

Clint immediately left his own cup on the table and reached for Wanda, pulling her close and resting her head onto his shoulder. Her hand came up to clutch the front of his shirt like Nate did when he was scared of the monsters under his bed. She didn’t cry or scream - her fist just became tighter around his shirt and her face buried into his shoulder. 

(“She could really pass as my daughter,” Clint mused.)

He wanted nothing more than to tell her about their plan of getting Natasha back, but he just couldn’t bear to give her any false hope that could crumble at his fingers. Now, all he could do was to comfort Wanda until that became a reality. 

He remembered being in the exact same position, but with Natasha. 

_She had appeared at his door two days after his family had been snapped, a bottle in one hand. He moved over and silently let her in, both of them opting to sit on the floor instead of the couch. The cap of her bottle immediately came off and they took turns drinking straight from it._

_“I failed her”. Natasha’s voice suddenly cut through the sombre atmosphere. Clint closed his eyes and leaned back, allowing her to ease the baggage off of her shoulders. “I told her i’d keep her safe and give her a new life and look where we are now”, she huffed, resting her head on his shoulder while her hand absentmindedly groped for the bottle. “I told her I’d take her to the Nutcracker and she was so excited she wouldn’t stop playing the damn soundtrack..” Natasha laughed bitterly and shook her head slightly._

_“No, Nat, you didn’t fail her. You loved her.” Natasha scoffed at that, yeah right, and that was clearly not enough to prevent Thanos’ snap from ripping Wanda away. “I was scared to let her in at first. Scared of not being good enough, scared of letting her down, but she told me it was okay and she would be patient. She doesn’t deserve this mess of a world.”_

_Clint sighed. Over the years, his fondness for the little witch had grown and he was basically Wanda’s self-appointed father figure. He had welcomed her into his home with open arms, much like he had with Nat years ago. God, he really did have a soft spot for young Eastern European women, didn’t he?_

_“She doesn’t and Tasha, I promise you we will find a way to get her back. To get all of them back.” He patted her back reassuringly._

_Natasha sat up at that. “Who knew the idiotic Hawkeye gave great advice?”, she jested, smirking a little._

_“Oh shut up, the entire team comes to me for advice.”_

_“Yup, and is probably the reason why Steve is still single.”_

_“Hey!”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The father-daughter relationship between Clint and Wanda is too good to be ignored, so I popped it into this chapter. We're building up to some pretty interesting things for the next chapter!
> 
> My classes have been cancelled to slow the spread of the virus here, so hopefully I will have more time for this wip (maybe I could upload more often??). Stay safe, everyone, wherever you are:)


	4. always in motion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanda is reunited with the person she misses the most.   
> (non graphic smut after the time skip)

On the anniversary of Pietro’s death, Clint flew Wanda out to his grave. She could feel the springiness of the grass under her feet as she padded towards it. She had planted white flowers around the tombstone years ago, choosing white because it reminded her of her brother’s platinum blond hair. She was quite surprised to see them still blooming even though she hadn’t visited in the last five years. Clint must have tended to the flowers while she wasn’t able to. 

She sat on the grass next to the tombstone and started picking at the weeds around it. “Hey Piet,” she whispered, “sorry I wasn’t able to come for a while. A lot has happened… I’m sure you know about it.” She yanked at a particularly stubborn weed and sighed. 

Wanda raised her head to take a quick glimpse at Clint. The archer was leaning against a large oak tree, obviously giving her the space she needed. Her fingers lightly traced the silver lettering on the dark grey tombstone as she thought of things to tell Pietro. “I miss her a lot, Pietro. After you left, she was the one who showed me that people still cared.” She rambled on and on to Pietro, enjoying the serenity of her surroundings. 

It made her feel better, being able to talk to her brother, even though she got no response. She knew her brother was listening to her, from wherever he was, and it was reassuring to know that he was still there for her. 

A hand came to squeeze her shoulder reassuringly and she looked up to see Clint smiling back at her. “Hey there fast guy, Nate’s taking after you. So impatient and restless,” he chuckled and shook his head. “You don’t need to worry about Wanda too much, I promise I’ll take good care of her.” Wanda smiled warmly at him and stood up, signalling that she was ready to leave. She took his proffered arm and the two strolled back to the quinjet. 

Clint briefly filled her in on returning the Infinity Stones - Scott and Hope had managed to rebuild the quantum tunnel and Steve was going to return them to their own timelines. Wanda listened half-heartedly, not giving too much thought into the entities that have turned her life upside down. Frankly, she didn’t care too much about them, as long as they got back to where they came from. She did perk up when he told her that they would be stopping by at the facility. He did not say for what reason, but she was happy to be able to see her teammates that she called family. 

When they got to the facility, Clint led her through the halls to the living room, where she assumed most of the team would be. He pushed the door with one hand, the other warm against the small of her back as he gave her a gentle push into the room. Almost immediately, he felt her body freeze against his hand.

Because there stood Natasha Romanoff, alive and breathing. She looked like the memory Wanda had seen in Clint’s head, maybe slightly more tired. Her lips curled up into a smile when she saw Wanda. “Hello, moya lyubov.”

Wanda could not move. Her feet seemed to be cemented to the ground, her hand still gripping the door frame and her eyes focusing on the person in front of her. It couldn’t be… could it? Her mouth hung open, words wanting to tumble out but they were getting caught at the back of her throat. 

Natasha stepped in closer, taking Wanda’s hand in hers and softly squeezing it. “Wanda?”

Hearing her name snapped Wanda out of the daze she was in. “But…but you..Clint…the stone,” she stuttered, not able to find the right words to express her confusion. She saw it happen (well, she didn’t see it happen, but she saw it through Clint), the redhead’s body lying at the bottom of the abyss. 

“Wanda, it’s okay, I’m here.” 

Something within Wanda broke, and she went barrelling into Natasha’s embrace, relishing the feeling of being in such a tight yet soft embrace. It’s not okay, you were gone, she wanted to say, but no words would come out. It didn’t matter - the warmth of Natasha is enough to squash any of her concerns. 

Natasha kissed Wanda tenderly. It was raw with emotion, both of them missing the other for too long, all the missed kisses in the last five years put into one. She didn’t let Wanda go until the girl was gasping for air. 

“How?” Wanda whispered.

Natasha shook her head. “That’s not important. What is important is we’re back here together.” She replied, hugging the girl tightly. Both were so starved of physical affection, and it was clearly what they both needed at that moment. “Except Steve probably had something to do with it,” Natasha added, softly chuckling. 

Natasha felt Wanda shift in her hold, so she left her slip out of the hug. Wanda made a beeline towards Steve, who was leaning against the wall next to Bucky, and threw her arms around him. It took him by surprise - Wanda was quiet and reserved and rarely initiated physical affection - but he quickly recovered and pulled her into a tight hug. 

“Thank you,” she whispered against his shoulder. Steve looked up and saw Natasha smiling at him gratefully. Seeing the two women reunited made him feel warm inside, something he remembered feeling when he finally saw Peggy or Bucky after being in the ice. His teammates had suffered enough that he just had to try, to make things right. 

He would do anything for them.

-

“Now, boys, would you please excuse us?’ It was getting late, and as much as she would like to spend time with her teammates, she wanted some private time with Wanda. They smiled at her, saying their goodnights before Natasha tugged a giggling Wanda up to her feet and led them to her room. 

(Except Clint. He probably knew what Natasha had in mind and smirked as he turned up the volume of the television.)

Natasha gently sat her onto the bed. Her thumb ran over the faint silver scar on Wanda’s forehead where she was cut. “My poor malyshka,” she said, pressing feather light kissing on the girl’s face. She sat down on the bed in front of Wanda, softly smiling and admiring the features of her face. A red glint caught Wanda’s eyes and she focused on the small red hearts on Natasha’s ears. 

“That’s where my earrings are.” Wanda chuckled, reaching behind Natasha’s neck and tugged at the elastic that held her braid together. She slowly unraveled the strands of hair. Maybe it was because she’s done it so many times, she could tell where the stringier blonde ends and the softer red begin. It’s not like it mattered, Wanda loved Natasha’s hair red, blonde, straight or curly.

She leaned forward to press her lips against Natasha’s, missing the soft sensation of those lips after being deprived of intimacy. Wanda let Natasha’s hair tumble down her shoulders, the ombre bright against the black of her tactical suit. Hands travelled downwards to unbuckle Natasha’s belt, then gently pushed it back. The same went for her stingers, dainty fingers unfastening them and laying them carefully on the nightside table. Wanda peeled the gloves back, then lightly brushed her thumbs across the back of Natasha’s hands.

Natasha’s suit was quickly unzipped to reveal smooth, milky skin underneath. Wanda pushed the suit off of her shoulders and helped her take her arms out of the sleeves, then pressed tiny kisses along her sharp jawline, down her neck and onto her collarbones. Natasha kicked the rest of the suit of off her, then Wanda felt Natasha’s hands meet at the front of her dress, slowly unbuttoning and pushing the garment off of her. 

“I missed you, little witch,” Natasha whispered against her ear, in a husky voice that sent a shiver down her spine and made the hairs on Wanda’s neck stand up. Her body grew slack, allowing Natasha to roll them over and push her down onto the bed. The redhead was quick to kiss her neck fervently, eliciting a small squeal from Wanda. She tried to return the favour, but was gently pushed back. “Wanda. Let me.”  
She shivered, both from the cold and from the anticipation of what would come next. She pulled the covers up and slid underneath, inviting Natasha to join her. Natasha grinned and pounced onto the bed, positioning them so Wanda laid on top of Natasha.

Wanda’s cheek was warm against Natasha’s breastbone as more kisses were pressed onto her face. Natasha’s hand travelled lower, fondling the soft skin under it until it reached the younger woman’s legs. Wanda’s breath hitched.

“Oh baby, I see you missed me,” Natasha groaned, her fingers gathering evidence of Wanda’s arousal. “Let me take care of you, sweetheart,” she whispered. Wanda moaned when she felt Natasha’s fingers on her heated core. “Please, Tasha, I need you.” Natasha gently shushed the girl, kissing her passionately while continuing to pleasure her. 

“I love you,” Natasha murmured, as Wanda orgasmed against her, chest heaving and body trembling in her hold. “I love you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It turns out that I am a lot busier than I anticipated, so the weekly uploads will have to stick for now. 
> 
> Also, yay! We're finally in the fix-it part of this story:D


	5. lost in a dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha dreams of the Snap, but Wanda is here to comfort her.

_A surge of energy rattled Natasha’s bones as she struggled to kick herself free from the roots Thanos had formed around her. She knew it came from the mind stone - that Wanda had destroyed the stone that was still embedded into Vision’s forehead. Part of her breathes out a sigh of relief, but the other part is scared to see the state that Wanda would be in. After all, she had to kill her best friend to do that. No one should ever have to do that, but out of any of them, Wanda should not have been the one to have to do that._

_With her free leg, Natasha kicked the root that tangled itself around her ankle and stumbled onto the soft dirt of the forest. She looked left and right for the telltale red tendrils of Wanda but couldn’t find a trace of it._

_Suddenly, another surge of energy ran through the forest floor, the yellow beams chasing each other deeper into the centre of the forest. Uh oh, Natasha thought, her heartbeat speeding up, not good. Moments later, a scream reached the widow’s ear and made her stomach sink._

_The air seemed different now, as if it had become heavier and murkier. An uneasiness settled around them and by this time Natasha was desperate to find her little witch. Her pacing turned into a sprint, her eyes and ears tuned to any sign that would give away Wanda and Vision’s location._

_Natasha had a sinking feeling that Thanos did what he promised he would, and she had to be sure that Wanda was safe. Not only because she once made that promise to her, but also because she didn’t know what she would do if she lost someone she loved so dearly. She was bone tired from fighting aliens for god knows how long, but the adrenaline made her push to the limits of her body, ignoring the protest of her aching muscles. Her feet picked up the face and she ran faster, more urgently. Her ears picked up other people calling out for their friends and loved ones, but she had to block them out for now._

_As she rounded the corner to the clearing, she saw Steve on the ground, gently rolling Vision’s body over. Except he was a very sickly grey and not the bright red she was used to seeing on him. There was a dent in his forehead where the mind stone took residence for years and the mind stone itself was no where to be found. Steve heard Natasha’s footsteps and turned around, giving her a solemn look before turning back to the body. One quick scan of the clearing told Natasha that her little witch was not there. Natasha immediately felt sick to her stomach._

_“W-Wanda?” she managed to choke out._

_Steve shook his head and got up to look at her. “I didn’t see her. She must have been with Vision when it happened. I’m very sorry, Nat.”_

_Natasha’s mind turned blank. This has to be a joke - Wanda can’t be gone, she promised that they would meet after the job was done. She wanted someone to tell her that it was a sick joke, but a quick look at her teammate’s faces told her that it was true, that half of them have been wiped off the face of the earth._

_Her knees turned into jelly and she fell onto the dirt, where she imagined Wanda must have been just minutes ago. Her fingers dig into the soft dirt, as if she were trying to hold onto the last pieces of Wanda’s ashes before the wind pick them up and scatted them all over Wakanda. A chill ran through her spine, but inside she was burning and screaming at the injustice that took Wanda away. Tears fell onto the forest floor, briefly mingling with ashes before a gust of wind sent them flying away._

Natasha woke up with a start. Her mind helpfully supplied that she was in Wanda’s room and the thing that was restricting her legs was not a gigantic root, but rather Wanda’s soft silk sheets. She willed herself to take deep breaths to calm the beast of her heart that was trying to claw its way through her chest. 

Rolling over, she was met with the warmth emanating from Wanda and she wordlessly tugged the girl closer to her chest to feel the grounding pressure of Wanda pressed up against her. Wanda stirred, a soft whimper escaping her lips as she snuggled closer to Natasha. 

“Go back to sleep, sweetheart”, Natasha whispered, her fingers gently combing through her soft curls. Wanda hummed in agreement, a arm snaking around Natasha’s waist as she unconsciously presses her ear against Natasha’s chest, feeling the soft thrum of the calming heartbeat. When they shared a bed, they always found a way to gravitate into the embrace of the other, and sure enough, the next morning, they would wake up in a tangle of limbs. It felt safe and secure, being able to physically feel each other before the mind is fully awake. It was also something Natasha had not been able to feel for five years.

One of Wanda’s hand snaked between them to lace her fingers with Natasha’s. Natasha looked downwards to see that Wanda was still asleep, yet the grip on her hand was strong. There was the sudden realization that the reason Wanda was clinging onto her so tightly was because she was afraid that Natasha being back had only been a figment of her imagination, ready to slip away from her grasp while she was fast asleep. Then it hit Natasha. She had left Wanda all alone for the period of time she had been dead, soul traded for the soul stone. She couldn’t even begin to fathom the desolation and sadness the younger girl must have felt, remembering how Wanda became a mere shell of a human weeks after her brother died. 

Guilt coursed through Natasha. She had once made a promise to Wanda, that she would always be by her side and would protect her from all the harm in the world. 

It was too much to bear - especially when Wanda is still holding her hand like a lifeline. Wanda didn’t deserve someone who made broken promises - she needed someone who would be there for her when she needed it. Tears formed in Natasha’s eyes, fighting against her lashes to make their presence known. One slipped down the bridge of her nose, and onto the pillow. Soon, many others followed its path and they left the redhead shuddering, in order to regain control of her breathing and emotions. 

She cried for the injustice of the world, the sadness that had been bearing down on her family, but above all, for her poor girl. Tears fell for the cruelty that had taken so much from Wanda. 

She began crying in earnest - the emotions that have been kept pent up for too long came crashing against her, but mostly it was the guilt for leaving Wanda alone. Natasha’s grip on Wanda’s body tightened as more tears ran down her face.

“Tasha, what’s wrong?” Came Wanda’s soft voice. Two hands caressed her face lightly, fingers carefully swiping tears off of her cheeks. Natasha shook her head, only leaning into Wanda’s hand as she took another shuddering breath. “I’m okay, go back to sleep,” she replied, rolling over to avoid Wanda’s eyes. 

Wanda frowned. It was unlike Natasha for her to be crying in bed in the middle of the night, but even more unlike Natasha to not tell her what was wrong and help. It wasn’t the first time something like this had happened, but they had a made a promise to each other then, to always let the other in. She rolled the older woman back over to face her. Natasha’s eyes were screwed shut, her cheeks damp with tears and her lower lip was trembling. 

“Natasha, please, tell me what’s wrong?” Wanda whispered, her thumb brushing gently under Natasha’s eyes. She hated seeing people cry and not knowing what she could do, especially if it was someone she loved. 

“I’m sorry, Wanda, I am so sorry,” Natasha spluttered, a fresh round of tears running down her cheeks. “I promised to never leave you, but I did. I’m sorry.”

Wanda sighed. She should have seen this coming - a similar scene that unfolded in Clint’s memory should have been ample warning. She wished that Natasha could see what she did without the guilt bearing down on her. “Tasha, you are the reason why I am here right now. You’re the reason why so many people can go back to their families,” she murmured, lightly stroking her hair. She allowed Natasha to bury her face into the crook of her shoulder, feeling hot tears on her skin while she ran her fingers through Natasha’s sweaty locks. 

“Natasha, you are so, so selfless,” Wanda continued. “You did what you had to, even if it meant sacrificing yourself to save everyone else.” Her hand ran up and down Natasha’s back soothingly. “Yes, you were gone for a while, but you fought your way back to me, and that is all I need,” Wanda finished, pressing a long kiss to Natasha’s sweaty temple. 

An old Sokovian lullaby came to her mind, almost forgotten after not hearing it from her parents or Pietro for so long. She remembered curling up against her parents before bed and hearing the familiar tune before she dozed off. Wanda could not remember much of the words, but the melody of it seemed enough for Natasha at the moment. The shaking of her shoulders lessened, and a few minutes later, so did the heaving of her chest. 

Natasha grabbed onto the younger girl a little tighter, not that Wanda minded. They fitted into each other like puzzle pieces -they were made for each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not gonna lie, this was my favourite chapter to write. I don't know about you, but I love reading and writing hurt/comfort with a touch of fluff. Stay tuned for the last chapter next week!


	6. a breathtaking view

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clint sends the two lovebirds a surprise, just in time for the holidays.

_six months later_

The two tickets to see the Nutcracker came as a surprise to both Wanda and Natasha. Clint and Laura had sent a package to them, containing a holiday greeting card, letters from all of them, new photos of the kids and a drawing from Nate. (It also contained a pine cone that Nate had picked up from somewhere on the farm and insisted that his Aunties needed it. He would not stop bothering his parents until he saw, with his own eyes, the pine cone going into the envelope and sealed right after that.) They smiled, quietly pinning the photos onto the cork board in Wanda’s room when Natasha found the tickets tucked inside. 

The two tickets were held together by a paperclip, with a yellow sticky note that said “enjoy! you both deserve it:)”.

“Well,” she announced, holding up the tickets, “it looks like Mr Clinton Barton has planned out our Saturday for us.”

“What is it?” Wanda’s curiosity piqued. She made no effort to move from her chair, her hands still busy with the pushpins and photographs. Suddenly, there were arms wrapped around her waist and the scent of Natasha’s perfume made itself present around her. 

“Look,” Natasha said, holding the tickets in front of their faces, lightly resting her chin on Wanda’s shoulder, “We’re going to see the ballet!” Wanda grabbed the tickets and inspected them herself before turning and giving Natasha the brightest smile. “I can’t wait,” she whispered shyly, her head leaning against Natasha’s cheek, relishing in the warm embrace. 

Natasha would do anything to see Wanda’s face light up again, like the way it did when she saw the tickets.  
-  
Wanda was talking a mile a minute the second they stepped out of the theatre, gushing over intricacies of the ballet. The entire show, she had been at the edge of her seat, watching the dancers in awe like a child on Christmas morning opening their gifts. Halfway through the show, she had opted to to rest her cheek against the cool metal of the banister on the balcony, her eyes still trained on the ballerinas on stage. There was a dreamy look on her face as she fixated on the colours of the tulle on the dancers’ waists, they way they followed their dancer through every jump and turn. 

Natasha had been slightly worried before the ballet started, scared that seeing the dancers would bring up the memories of being in the Red Room, but after she saw how much Wanda enjoyed the show, her fears had been quenched. Ballet had been a large part of her life, the little time she had to herself to get lost in the music and the movement of her feet. It was when Wanda leaped to her feet at the curtain call did she realize that she still had an undying passion for this delicate genre of dance. Seeing Wanda’s enjoyment made her want to pick up this hobby again and maybe she could put on a personal show for her girlfriend. 

There was a slight skip in Wanda’s step as they entered the park, her feet mimicking the movement of a ballerina, albeit clumsily without the years of training under her belt. Her arms were outstretched as she turned on her toes, then brought her arms closer, tighter against her chest as she spun once, twice… 

Natasha caught her by her waist and drew the younger woman in closer. Wanda was giggling uncontrollably, the snowflakes landing on her eyelashes before melting instantaneously. She was puled back to her feet before her beanie was tugged lower to cover the shells of her ears. “You are adorable, malyshka,” Natasha laughed, shaking her head slightly. The two women linked their arms and walked further into the park.  
“Come here, baby, I have something for you.” Natasha tugged on Wanda’s hand and sat her down at the park bench. It was the one in front of the water fountain, the one they always found themselves in whenever they wandered into the park. Natasha pulled out a blue, almost teal pouch from her coat pocket and handed it to Wanda. 

She carefully untied the pouch and emptied its contents onto her palm, peering curiously at the small silver heap. Natasha smiled and picked it up. “Here,” she murmured, letting the pendant fall for Wanda to inspect. 

It was a silver necklace with two small heart pendants, one silver and the other red. It’s delicate and dainty, much like the majority of Wanda’s jewelry collection, but the design of it was enough to make her eyes water. 

“I know you still miss him, milaya, but he is still here, looking out for you every day. I wanted to get you something that you could wear all the time so he can always be with you. Look, silver and scarlet, always together.” Natasha explained, gently squeezing Wanda’s hand. Wanda let out a small sniffle, her grasp on Natasha’s hand growing a little stronger. “I.. Thank you, Natasha, it’s beautiful.” She looked up at her girlfriend tearfully, genuinely touched by this gesture. 

Natasha swept Wanda’s hair to one shoulder to fasten the necklace around her neck, letting the pendant fall on her sternum. The metal was cool against her skin, but it warmed her heart knowing that she would always have a token representing her brother close by. Wanda pulled Natasha to her feet and fished out two quarters from her pocket. “Let’s make a wish,” she said, handing over a coin. 

She holds her own coin in her hands, and closed her eyes. I wish for Natasha to always be safe and happy, and for Pietro and Vision to be in a place without suffering. That was really all Wanda needed at that moment. She kisses the back of her hand, then tossed the coin into the fountain. She turned just as Natasha tossed her coin into the fountain. Natasha stepped closer to her and planted a sweet kiss onto her lips. 

“Even in these heeled boots, I’m still not taller than you,” Natasha huffed, her lip jutting out to illustrate her frustration. Her hands were on her waist, eyebrows slightly sloped - she looked like a little girl who didn’t get her ice cream for dessert. Wanda laughed, taking her hands. “Why do you want to be taller than me?”

“Maybe I wanted to kiss you like that guy is kissing his girl?” She shrugged, pointing towards the couple making out not too far from them. Natasha had never told anyone, but she was secretly frustrated that Wanda was taller than her. She wanted to be able to put her arm around her girl, maybe pull her into her side, tuck her head under her chin so she would always feel safe…

“Is this better?” Wanda asked innocently. One of her hands let go of Natasha’s and was sending a stream of scarlet towards Natasha’s feet, slightly levitating the shorter woman off the ground. Natasha smirked, placing her hands on Wanda’s face and kissed her with all she’s got. It wasn’t a fight for dominance - it was soft, full of emotion and love, and gentle. It was the exchange between two lovers who have been separated for too long, too far to feel each other. 

Natasha only pulled away when they were both out of air, her hand gently stroking Wanda’s silky hair. “Much better,” she laughed, as more snow flurried around them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a little sad that the end is here, but without any concrete ideas to keep going, this will have to be a short-ish work. Like I've said before, this has been a wip for the last half year, so it did take me a while to come up with these mini prompts for each chapter. If there is something you would like to see, please drop them in the comments and I will see what I can do (I don't run an active Tumblr - sorry:/ ). Stay safe and I hope you enjoyed these two ladies as much as I enjoyed writing about them:D


End file.
